Name: Miles City Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2020-11-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2020-11-24

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Unweaned steer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed; 450-549 lbs steers sold steady to 5.00 lower; unweaned steers 550 lbs and heavier were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifer quality was average to attractive. Unweaned heifers under 450 lbs sold sharply lower, with most sales 10.00-20.00 lower; 450-549 lbs unweaned heifers sold 4.00-10.00 lower; heifers over 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly light this week for light offerings. With this being a holiday week many buyers showed little interest in starting loads, especially with light supplies and the uncertainty of being able to fill out loads. Demand for heifers was especially light. Quality was mostly plain to average this week and much lower compared to last weeks attractive offering. Market activity was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packer buyers showed lighter demand for all cows this week. Feeding cow buyers were slightly more active this week as many bid on thin cows or cows that could potentially be bred. With lighter demand seen from packers cow prices all slid lower. Slaughter cows and feeding cows both sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Demand did improve slightly as the sale progress and buyers all tried to fill loads. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm as packers and feeding buyers both competed over offerings. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-7.00 higher. Demand for these offerings was mostly good with several buyers in the market this week looking for this class of cow. Quality was mostly average to attractive and better overall compared to last week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $140.26/cwt on 754 head.

Average price

$140.26

754 head · 537 lb average

Value per head Derived

$753

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$53

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1-2

$13.88/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.92

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	521	142.69	743	572
Medium and Large 1-2	425	140.14	595	35
Large 1	633	132.21	837	88
Medium 1-2	618	128.81	796	59

One grade step is worth $13.88/cwt here — about −$53 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale754 hd

140.26

—

MT average5 barns · 4,094 hd

141.19

−0.92

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,851	76.90	1,424	21
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,539	60.05	924	8thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,356	52.45	711	118
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,147	44.67	512	269

Every lot, as filed

68 lots · USDA AMS · Miles City Livestock Commission Auction - Miles City, MT

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	364	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	537	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	473	175.74/cwt	170.00–179.00	831	68
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	615	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	923	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	873	127.68/cwt	124.00–128.75	1,115	28
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	295	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	605	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	633	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	747	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	685	134.23/cwt	134.00–135.00	919	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	518	140.64/cwt	137.00–144.00	729	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	453	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	856	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	547	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	700	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	412	149.24/cwt	147.00–154.50	615	116
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	365	151.78/cwt	150.25–155.75	554	81
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	574	149.00/cwt	148.00–151.00	855	51
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	369	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	705	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	479	147.57/cwt	144.00–151.50	707	199
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	812	125.46/cwt	125.00–126.00	1,019	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	590	117.50/cwt	117.50–117.50	693	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	632	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	847	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	646	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	795	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	527	162.03/cwt	153.00–166.50	854	140
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	656	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	800	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	438	180.43/cwt	175.00–183.00	790	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	524	166.75/cwt	165.00–167.00	874	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	564	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	891	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	568	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	846	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	927	121.72/cwt	121.00–122.00	1,128	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	480	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	749	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	759	126.93/cwt	126.00–127.50	963	21
Bulls	—	—	1,616	67.34/cwt	62.00–74.50	1,088	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,907	80.82/cwt	75.50–83.50	1,541	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,314	46.86/cwt	45.00–48.50	616	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,361	46.21/cwt	40.00–47.50	629	8
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,970	71.61/cwt	68.50–74.50	1,411	2
Bulls	—	—	1,875	78.33/cwt	77.00–81.00	1,469	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	934	42.47/cwt	41.00–43.00	397	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	860	35.43/cwt	31.00–42.00	305	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,125	43.17/cwt	38.00–46.00	486	95
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,090	47.50/cwt	47.50–47.50	518	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,510	62.79/cwt	62.00–64.00	948	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,184	44.43/cwt	40.00–47.00	526	74
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,557	58.40/cwt	56.00–59.00	909	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,366	54.40/cwt	50.00–59.00	743	88
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,026	120.75/cwt	120.75–120.75	1,239	24
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,053	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,211	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,115	37.22/cwt	31.00–41.50	415	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,055	39.50/cwt	39.50–39.50	417	3
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	533	165.75/cwt	165.75–165.75	883	31
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	407	140.78/cwt	137.00–148.00	573	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,132	1,135.00/cwt	1,135.00–1,135.00	12,848	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	895	94.06/cwt	65.00–102.50	842	142
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,360	48.00/cwt	48.00–48.00	653	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,181	50.16/cwt	47.50–55.00	592	67
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	582	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	757	24
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	643	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	823	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	850	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,088	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	448	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	712	16
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	444	183.50/cwt	183.50–183.50	815	19
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	474	136.52/cwt	134.50–138.00	647	46
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,127	51.73/cwt	50.00–54.00	583	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,104	65.42/cwt	55.00–89.00	722	65
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	469	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	657	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	430	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	740	21
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,229	875.00/cwt	875.00–875.00	10,754	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,227	666.40/cwt	660.00–675.00	8,177	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	446	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	651	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	560	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	644	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	368	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	672	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	559	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	755	17

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages

One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →